This class has been by far my favorite to complete during this program. The amount of online learning tools I learned about is extensive. Although this class was my favorite thus far, it still challenged me to think outside the box. To start with, the class started with an introduction using Flipgrid. I am not one that likes to be filmed or get behind the camera to talk. This has always been intimidating for me, but I enjoyed finding out the Flipgrid gives you a limited time to film your video. I found this helpful to implement in the classroom for students to share their ideas, thoughts about a lesson or even to use as a homework assignment. Ours students in any grade level are now being exposed to so much technology, why not use it to our advantage in education and find ways to implemented to boost their confidence, students engagement and 21st century.
One online tool that really caught my attention was screen casting. There are many programs online, that do a great job, but the one I am the most familiar with is Screencastify. Screencastify has many features such as pausing your recording, deciding what part of your computer screen to share, among many other options that I see my students enjoying if they were asked to use this to share an assignment for others to view. A great benefit of screen casting that I vision for teachers is while you are away from school. I began to screen cast several of my lessons last year due to having a high number of training to attend. I did not want my students to get behind, nor did I want to get behind in my lessons planned for the week. My students really enjoyed having this virtual opportunity and it was easy for any of my substitutes to show the class. In some cases, I would simply post the link to my screen cast on our Google Classroom and my students would watch the lesson in their own Chromebook. Another teacher benefit of screencasting is using when the opportunity is there for a flipped classroom model. A teacher can simply record a lesson or even show students where to find resources for an assigned lesson to complete at home. This online tool helps support the different learning styles found in a classroom. For example, students that benefit from repeat directions or material can easily pause or rewind the screen cast in order to grasp what is being taught. ESOL students can also benefit from this online tool because they have to opportunity to use the components of learning a new language: listening, speaking, reading and writing.
Another tool that I enjoyed learning, using and will introduce to my students once the testing season is over is podcasting. Podcasting is a very powerful online tool to use with students that are afraid to speak in person or in front of a camera. Podcasting offers them the opportunity to record themselves, without having to show their faces. Podcasting is a great tool for student collaboration, assessing student work and for students to share their opinions regarding a topic in science or social students or any other class. I recently learned of a podcast called Story Pirates where the audience (children) sends in their own written stories and turns them into a song or a dramatic story. I see this as very powerful for our young writers in elementary school, because their work is being recognized and validated by a larger audience. I love this idea and how it could be taken into a school wide project. Students in primary can submit their stories to upper grade students. Upper grade students can create a song or dramatic story. This is by far the favorite podcast my own children at home listen to while we are in the car. Podcasting will help them see the connection between literature, writing and technology all in one place. Plus, it may also motivate them to improve their writing skills as well!
Besides the only tools to use in the classroom, the class also focused on other important factor of technology, which were digital divide and internet safety.
Digital divide is a current hot topic in education. As I learned in this class and other previous classes, not all students have the same access to technology. I can speak on behalf of those teachers who are limited to technology, because I experienced prior to moving to the school I have now been working for the last two years. Lack of technology can be difficult and frustrating at times. It causes teachers to think of creative ways to give students the access to technology that they need. However, it is not a game over for teachers. Non-profit organizations gives teachers the opportunities to apply for grants that will allow them to purchase needed materials to their classrooms. For example, there is Donors Choose where teachers can submit a project and ask for the materials they will need. Another way to find funding is through grants offered by organizations such as GaETC. There are other cases where students do have the technology access at school, but not at home. Most of my students fall into this scenario. In situations like this, the district or school can reach out to the community, business partners or local internet providers to offer internet to these families for an affordable price. having the access to technology is now critical for our students if we want to prepare them for future jobs and even from that transition from elementary to middle and high school.
Lastly, internet safety is another topic covered in class that I found very interesting. Internet safety is something that is very important for us to take into consideration and very seriously, when our students are using any type of technology or online tool. Technology can turn into a dangerous tool when our students' identify or personal information is not protected properly. To take precautions as teachers we need to ensure we are providing our students with digital citizenship in order to show them the dangers and ways they can stay from online dangers such as cyber-bullying or loss of personal information. It is our job to help our students be prepared to use technology and teach them the ways to stay protected while they are online.
One online tool that really caught my attention was screen casting. There are many programs online, that do a great job, but the one I am the most familiar with is Screencastify. Screencastify has many features such as pausing your recording, deciding what part of your computer screen to share, among many other options that I see my students enjoying if they were asked to use this to share an assignment for others to view. A great benefit of screen casting that I vision for teachers is while you are away from school. I began to screen cast several of my lessons last year due to having a high number of training to attend. I did not want my students to get behind, nor did I want to get behind in my lessons planned for the week. My students really enjoyed having this virtual opportunity and it was easy for any of my substitutes to show the class. In some cases, I would simply post the link to my screen cast on our Google Classroom and my students would watch the lesson in their own Chromebook. Another teacher benefit of screencasting is using when the opportunity is there for a flipped classroom model. A teacher can simply record a lesson or even show students where to find resources for an assigned lesson to complete at home. This online tool helps support the different learning styles found in a classroom. For example, students that benefit from repeat directions or material can easily pause or rewind the screen cast in order to grasp what is being taught. ESOL students can also benefit from this online tool because they have to opportunity to use the components of learning a new language: listening, speaking, reading and writing.
Another tool that I enjoyed learning, using and will introduce to my students once the testing season is over is podcasting. Podcasting is a very powerful online tool to use with students that are afraid to speak in person or in front of a camera. Podcasting offers them the opportunity to record themselves, without having to show their faces. Podcasting is a great tool for student collaboration, assessing student work and for students to share their opinions regarding a topic in science or social students or any other class. I recently learned of a podcast called Story Pirates where the audience (children) sends in their own written stories and turns them into a song or a dramatic story. I see this as very powerful for our young writers in elementary school, because their work is being recognized and validated by a larger audience. I love this idea and how it could be taken into a school wide project. Students in primary can submit their stories to upper grade students. Upper grade students can create a song or dramatic story. This is by far the favorite podcast my own children at home listen to while we are in the car. Podcasting will help them see the connection between literature, writing and technology all in one place. Plus, it may also motivate them to improve their writing skills as well!
Besides the only tools to use in the classroom, the class also focused on other important factor of technology, which were digital divide and internet safety.
Digital divide is a current hot topic in education. As I learned in this class and other previous classes, not all students have the same access to technology. I can speak on behalf of those teachers who are limited to technology, because I experienced prior to moving to the school I have now been working for the last two years. Lack of technology can be difficult and frustrating at times. It causes teachers to think of creative ways to give students the access to technology that they need. However, it is not a game over for teachers. Non-profit organizations gives teachers the opportunities to apply for grants that will allow them to purchase needed materials to their classrooms. For example, there is Donors Choose where teachers can submit a project and ask for the materials they will need. Another way to find funding is through grants offered by organizations such as GaETC. There are other cases where students do have the technology access at school, but not at home. Most of my students fall into this scenario. In situations like this, the district or school can reach out to the community, business partners or local internet providers to offer internet to these families for an affordable price. having the access to technology is now critical for our students if we want to prepare them for future jobs and even from that transition from elementary to middle and high school.
Lastly, internet safety is another topic covered in class that I found very interesting. Internet safety is something that is very important for us to take into consideration and very seriously, when our students are using any type of technology or online tool. Technology can turn into a dangerous tool when our students' identify or personal information is not protected properly. To take precautions as teachers we need to ensure we are providing our students with digital citizenship in order to show them the dangers and ways they can stay from online dangers such as cyber-bullying or loss of personal information. It is our job to help our students be prepared to use technology and teach them the ways to stay protected while they are online.